How Many Draft Picks Do the Suns & Jazz Have Now? Decoding All the Trade Details as Matt Ishbia Risks Franchise’s Future

The Suns are going all-in! With the mid-season trade deadline approaching and a potential Jimmy Butler acquisition on the table, Mat Ishbia needed to make some tough decisions about the franchise’s future. And his latest move proves that he has made up his mind! As per veteran insider Shams Charania, the Suns are sending their 2031 unprotected first to the Jazz in exchange for three first-round picks. But where does this leave the two franchises?

Well, the trade gives Ishbia a least favorable first of Cleveland/Minnesota in this year’s draft, along with 2027 and 2029’s pick of Cleveland/Minnesota/Utah. Before this deal, the Suns had only two tradable draft picks, the one in 2031 and the Nuggets’ second-rounder from this year. However, the exchange with Utah has increased their draft picks to four, which they can now use as assets to make the desired trade and especially convince Pat Riley.

Moreover, they also had three second-round picks until last week, but they used them in a trade to acquire big man Nick Richards from the Hornets. Sure enough, it was a well-thought-out move because adding Richards gives them a reliable Center, averaging 9.2 points and over seven rebounds. And the Suns were struggling in that position with Jusuf Nurkic and Mason Plumlee.

Obviously, Ishbia could use the remaining four picks to make another trade, maybe for Jimmy Butler. While they want to part ways with Beal to add Jimmy, the Heat seem to have no interest in the swap. The newly acquired picks allow the Suns to facilitate a 3-team trade to make that deal happen. The latest reports suggest that the Bucks or Raptors could be the third team on the radar.

Well, the 2031 pick was a cushion for the Phoenix franchise to get their hands on a future star once Kevin Durant retires and Devin Booker romps past his prime. But Mat Ishbia has risked that future in hopes of winning right now. While the Suns might not hold on to their draft picks for very long, the Jazz likely have a different plan.

Utah Jazz’s rebuilding plan is in complete motion with the latest Suns trade

Before the season began, Jazz GM Justin Zanik revealed the plan for the franchise’s future, “We decided that our plan was to completely throw our focus into our young guys and the best player on our roster in Lauri Markkanen.” Yes, instead of pursuing an NBA title right now, they are going all-in on a rebuild. Of course, their latest move aligns with that plan.

While on paper, it looks like they made a terrible move by giving up three first-round picks for one, that one pick could be incredibly valuable in the future. Meanwhile, the three picks they have lost are all the least favorable. And thanks to the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert trade three years ago, the Jazz still has a plethora of valuable draft picks left! Following the exchange with the Suns, they now have eleven first-round picks in the next seven years!

Sure enough, this sets them up for the foreseeable future as these picks could help them become legitimate contenders a few years from now. Obviously, their primary focus remains on winning the lottery this year and drafting Cooper Flagg, who is expected to be the next big thing. So, the Suns-Jazz trade seems like a win-win situation for both parties. Do you agree?